Poets logo

Room Only

Miss?

By Iris ObscuraPublished about a month ago • 1 min read
Grand Prize Winner in Negative Space Challenge
Art by Iris Obscura

“Fully booked tonight. Room four.”
“Is the heating fixed?”
“Clean towels on the bed.”

~

“First time paying?”
“Is it obvious?”
“Your coat can go there.”
“And the money?”
“By the lamp.”
“What do I call you?”
“Iris.”

~

“Your feet are freezing.”
“They warm up.”
“Shall I leave my socks on?”
“Same price.”

~

“Come into bed.”
“Like this?”
“A little slower.”
“Sorry.”
“There. Like that.”

~

“What do you like?”
“Here?”
“No. When you’re alone.”

~

“Half an hour, love.”
“Already?”
“Your shirt’s under my leg.”
“Thanks, Iris.”

~

“Next one’s here.”
“Can I get a cup of tea?”
“I’ll put the kettle on.”

~

“You remember me?”
“Light off?”
“Yes. You remember.”

~

“Come closer.”
“Move your arm.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”

~

“Your cheek’s wet.”
“It’s the heat.”

~

“Time.”

~

“The girl in the photograph.”
“That’s me.”
“Your hair’s different.”
“It’s tied up.”
“Let it down?”

~

“Turn over?”
“Like this?”
“Yes. Stay there.”

~

“Comfortable?”
“My hair’s caught.”
“Sorry.”

~

“Time.”

~

“Tea?”
“Kettle’s on.”

~

“Have we met?”
“I don’t think so.”
“You look like someone.”

~

“Can I kiss you?”
“Yes.”

~

“Closer.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”

~

“What were you going to say?”

~

“Time.”

~

“Iris free?”
“Four.”

~

“Thirty minutes?”
“Yes.”
“Does that include getting undressed?”
“Yes.”

~

“Where shall I put these?”
“Chair.”

~

“Here?”
“Yes.”

~

“Look at me?”

~

“Time.”

~

“Move over a little?”
“You’ll fall.”
“There’s more room on your side.”
“It slopes.”

~

“Your knee.”
“Sorry.”

~

“Better.”

~

“Time.”

~

“Tea’s outside.”

~

“I’ve paid downstairs.”
“Door?”
“Yes.”

~

“Lamp?”
“Leave it.”

~

“Come here.”

~

“Like that.”

~

“Time, love.”

~

“One more.”
“He’s paid.”

~

“Hello?”

~

“Cold in here.”

~

“Shall I get under?”

~

“Your hands are freezing.”

~

“Closer.”

~

“Is that all right?”

“Yes.”

~

“Stay a second.”

~

“Love?”

~

“Closing.”

~

“Anything left in four?”
“Tea. Untouched.”
“Tip it out.”

~

“Morning. What can I get you?”
“Tea.”
“Large?”

~

“Your name, please?”

~

“Miss?”

.

Free Verse

About the Creator

Iris Obscura

Are you after "polite?"

Stable?

This is the wrong place.

Looking for the kind of beauty that looks like it crawled out of a fluorescent supermarket at 2:13 am and somehow asked you about meaning.

Read on.

Enjoyed the story? Support the Creator.

Subscribe for free to receive all their stories in your feed. You could also become a paid subscriber, letting them know you appreciate their work.

Subscribe For Free

Reader insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment
    Written by Iris Obscura